Tombs driver faces culpable homicide charge

THE State has laid culpable homicide charges against Tombs Motorways bus driver Willard Muchuweni who was involved in an accident which claimed three lives along the Zvishavane-Shurugwi Road in May last year.

BY BLESSED MHLANGA

Muchuweni (40) is accused of negligent driving and causing the death of Rona Nyamakopa, Monica Zengeya and Floret Muchemedzi in the early hours of May 27, 2015.

The matter which is recorded under case number CR 09/05/15 will be heard at the Zvishavane Magistrates’ Courts where the State will seek to prosecute Muchuweni.

“He drove negligently by losing control of the vehicle which then veered off the road to the left and subsequently landed by the right side, dragged for 30 metres on the tarmac and finally landed on its roof facing the south side,” the State outline read.

The State further claims that the forensic evidence gathered from the accident scene indicated that Muchuweni was speeding.

“The bus was travelling at excessive speed in the circumstances and as a result he failed to stop or act reasonably when the accident or collision seemed imminent,” the State noted.

In his warned and cautioned statement, Muchuweni denied driving negligently saying he was hit by an oncoming haulage truck which had encroached into his lane.

However, a report compiled by police accident evaluator Gibson Botsa, which will also be presented as evidence in the court, shows that it was the Tombs bus which encroached in the other lane.

“The physical evidence on the tarmacadam [tarmac], in the form of debris revealed that the said haulage truck was in its entire lane going the opposite direction and bus number AAZ 8658 was encroaching and not in its lane,” he wrote.